Apple to kill iPod classic, shuffle?

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The iPod classic, a landmark product in consumer tech, might be getting the axe, according to one report

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Report: Apple will discontinue iPod classic and shuffle

The Unofficial Apple Weblog says a source confirmed the plan

Last year, every iPod got a big update except for the classic model

The iPod classic, a venerable stalwart in the world of consumer technology, may be getting the axe along with its cousin, the iPod shuffle, according to a blog that focuses on Apple news.

Citing an unnamed source, The Unofficial Apple Weblog is reporting that, in addition to unveiling the iPhone 5 next week, Apple plans to discontinue the more dated versions of its music player in favor of sleeker models like the iPod Nano and iPod Touch.

The blog notes that Apple teased a "product transition" during its most recent earnings report.

Saying only that the source is not an analyst, TUAW says the rumor makes sense.

"The classic is a holdover from 10 years of iPod existence, bearing many similarities to the original iPod," wrote blog editor Victor Agreda, Jr. "The shuffle is basically the same form factor as the nano, minus a screen."

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He writes that the blog had been "sitting on a tip" about the discontinuation and only wrote about it after speculation popped up on other sites.

A groundbreaking device in personal tech, credited with reinvigorating Apple a decade ago, the iPod line now accounts for just about 7 percent of Apple's overall revenues. The iPhone and iPad, which offer music and video streaming along with lots of other features, have in some way trumped the iPod's usefulness.